Patent GB-677131-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to weighing machines
IPC: G01G13/00
Filed: 1949-05-18
Abstract: 677,131. Conveyers. BEST, C., and MOLINS MACHINE CO., Ltd. May 11, 1950. [May 18, 1949] No. 13288/49. Class 78 (i). [Also in Group XVII] Weighed parcels of material, e.g. tobacco, are discharged from a weighing machine into a succession of receptacles 51A . . . 51F, which are moved in turn into position for receiving a parcel and continue to move thereafter in a closed path around a position below which runs a conveyer comprising regularly moving receptacles 19, and means is provided for detecting the leading filled receptacle and causing it to discharge its parcel into one of the regularly moving receptacles which move in timed relationship with the discharging operation. Receptacles 51A ... 51F are spaced around the rim of a rotating shoot 53 the lower end of which is above the bucket conveyer 18, 19. Each receptacle, e.g. receptacle 51B, Figs. 3, 4, is hinged at 90 to a cradle 91 which is in turn pivoted to brackets 52. A rod 92 secured to the receptacle passes through a hole in one of the pivots and its remote end is held above a contact strip 88B on the rim of the shoot by a spring 94 urging the receptacle upwards with respect to the cradle. When the weighpan of the weighing machine delivers a parcel to the receptacle the weight of the parcel depresses the receptacle causing rod 92 to make contact with the strip 88B thus partially completing a circuit for that receptacle 51B, Fig. 9. This circuit includes a solenoid 87B, Fig. 3, whose core 100 projects into the path of the cradle 91, which is urged to rotate about its pivots by a spring 102. When the circuit is completed therefore the core 100 is withdrawn and the cradle and with it the container is tipped to deliver the parcel down the shoot 53. Upon subsequent rotation of the shoot a cam 103 on a supporting frame 56 forces the receptacle and cradle back into position through a bell crank 105 and link 104. In operation the shoot is rotated intermittently by mechanism which consists of a continuously rotating shaft 63 and a clutch 60 operated by a handle 58 and normally held disengaged by a spring 59. The disengageable member of the clutch is mounted on a second shaft 61 driving a pinion 62 engaging gear teeth on the rim of the shoot. Upon depressing the lever 58 to engage the clutch an extension 67 of the lever passes through a slot in the rim 69 of a wheel 68 secured on shaft 61. When lever 58 is released the extension 67 hugs the inside of rim 69 until the slot again comes round upon which it jumps back through the slot and disengages the drive whereupon a further extension 70 of lever 58 engages a recess in the shoot rim to stop the rotation at an amount corresponding to the spacing of the receptacles 51A ... 51F, i.e. a sixth of a revolution. The operator depresses lever 58 after every weighing. The completion of the circuit through solenoids 87A ... 87F however is determined by the presence of a bucket 19 below the shoot 53. A revolving contact wheel 81A driven in synchronism with the bucket conveyer, has a gap corresponding to each bucket 19 so that as a bucket passes under the shoot 53 a brush 83 in series with a relay 78 is disconnected from an earth line. This causes two interconnected contact arms 74A, 74B, to traverse step by step the contacts 73A, 73B in a fraction of a second by the operation of an oscillating solenoid 76. When arm 74A comes to rest on the contact connected to the first of the solenoids 87A ... 87F whose contact strip 88A ... 88F is also connected to the arm 92 of the corresponding receptacle, a circuit is completed and held by a holding-in contact 89A ... 89F to tip the receptacle and actuate relay 78 so that the arms 74A and 74B are stopped until a condenser 85 is charged sufficiently to operate a relay 79 which breaks the circuit and allows the arms 74A and 74B to continue whilst the charged condenser 85 holds the circuit open until arm 74B reaches the "home" contact in the position shown. The mechanism does not operate if the shoot is rotating at the time when a bucket 19 is positioned beneath it since a switch 81B operated by the clutch handle 58 is opened. Also the contact strips 88A ... 88F are disconnected from the contacts 73A since this connection is made via brushes 96, Fig. 2, on the supporting frame 56. Specification 647,029, [Group XVIII], is referred to.